MANILLA— In the Central Philippines authorities are struggling to reach many of the some 600,000 people displaced by Super Typhoon Haiyan. Officials anticipate a death toll in the thousands.

At the Villamor Air Force Base in Manila, C130 planes filled with relief goods are headed to one of the hardest hit cities, Tacloban in Leyte Province.

Some relief organizations say their provisions are taking three times longer to get there because so many land routes have been blocked by massive piles of debris from fallen houses and trees.

On the other side of the air field, around 400 people are waiting for a chance to catch a ride on one of the planes headed toward the devastation zone.

Among them is Tito Lucinareo, a father of two boys from a small town 25 kilometers outside Tacloban. He says he did manage to get a call through to one of his brothers who said the children survived the storm. But Lucinareo is not sure if they have food.

He says, “You think about whether your child is eating. Is he hungry? He likes to eat, especially biscuits.”

Lucinareo, his brother and cousins packed bags full of food that they plan to take to their hometown on foot.

Some in Tacloban have resorted to looting with reports of grocery stores and shopping malls being ransacked by people in search of food and clean water. The government said Sunday it would send additional military and police personnel to try to restore order.

Philippine and U.S. military personnel prepare to load relief goods on a U.S. C-130 plane for victims of Typhoon Haiyan, Villamor Air Base, Nov. 11, 2013.

Philippine and U.S. military personnel prepare to load relief goods on a U.S. C-130 plane for typhoon victims, Villamor Air Base, Nov. 11, 2013.

Residents line up to receive treatment and relief supplies at Tacloban airport, Nov.11, 2013.

A boy fills a plastic bottle with water in Tacloban city, central Philippines, Nov. 11, 2013.

Survivors look up at a military C-130 plane as it arrives at typhoon-ravaged Tacloban city, Leyte province, central Philippines, Nov. 11, 2013.

A mother cries in relief upon boarding a Philippine Air Force helicopter in Guiuan township, Nov. 11, 2013.

A man smiles as he carries a sack of relief goods while others rush for their share in Iloilo province, central Philippines, Nov. 11, 2013.

While the C130 planes were readying to take off, the Presidential Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras briefed reporters on state-run television. He laid out some of the government’s biggest challenges in trying to manage the crisis.

Almendras says for moving the goods alone, there are “so many operational details and humps to be worked out.”

“I don’t know how to describe it. Every single square foot of C130 space or every pound of C130 capacity from Manila to Tacloban is critical and how fast we can turn around the planes and so many other details, the fuel for the planes and all that,” he said.

Almendras also says that not knowing whether it is safe to pass certain routes has been a problem. He says the national government needs access to local government knowledge of the different villages so military and national responders can reach those areas.

In small increments communication lines are being restored to the less devastated locations. But in the worst-hit areas, power is out and cell phone service has been intermittent at best.

At the Air Force Base, Nelida Palconite says she was not sure whether she could get on the flight to go home to Tacloban. So she made this plea.

“We need food, we need… everything that you could give us. Medicines, water,” she said.

An Armed Forces spokesman says “the whole situation is really a challenge” the military has to overcome.

An aerial image taken from a Philippine Air Force helicopter shows the devastation of the first landfall by typhoon Haiyan in Guiuan, Eastern Samar province, central Philippines, Nov. 11, 2013.

Survivors fill the streets as they line up to get supplies in Tacloban city, Leyte province, central Philippines, Nov. 11, 2013.

Residents go on their daily business Nov. 9, 2013, following a powerful typhoon that hit Tacloban city, in Leyte province, central Philippines.

A fisherman carries his net after making it safely back to shore in the fishing village after a strong winds from Typhoon Haiyan battered Bayog town in Los Banos, Laguna city, south of Manila, Nov. 8, 2013.

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Comments

by: Aluna from: U.S.

November 11, 2013 4:41 PM

God help my fellow Filipinoes. I want to go home so bad and help out. My strongest prayers goes out to all the victims of the typhoon (matter of fact, to all the filipinoes). I couldn't focus for the past days since I couldn't get a hold of no one in my family. Please keep the prayers everyone. God is good

by: Josh from: America

November 11, 2013 1:20 PM

So may fear dead in-spite of advanced warning? I know we'll be sending money. After they get back on their feet they need to think about building some shelters that can withstand the weather.

by: Samantha from: Brown

November 11, 2013 1:06 PM

I was wondering how to send goods over there to help out clean water, some clothes dry food goods. I'd rather send the goods then to donate the money not that I wouldn't to help rebuild them I just want to send them some goods.

In Response

by: Norma Washburn from: Ormond Beach, Florida, US

November 11, 2013 5:51 PM

Money goes to organizations that can get food and water to those in need. This is all overwhelming but go in faith help will be delivered.

In Response

by: Tony from: Vacaville

November 11, 2013 4:26 PM

For the price to ship water they could probably get 10x the amount if you sent cash. As long as you send money to reputable charities (Red Cross, Etc.) money will do more good then sending a blanket and some water.

In Response

by: Maria from: San Diego, CA

November 11, 2013 4:24 PM

You can look up Filipino communities in your area to send items, food or money; they know how to get it to them.St. Michael's Catholic Church, a Filipino Catholic Community in San Diego is accepting donations through a group of volunteers who will be taking the donations directly to the people affected there in the Philippines. Their phone number is (619) 470.1977You may want to contact the number for further assistance.

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